I Can't Swim
by sigmus19
Summary: Much to Lon'qu's dismay, Lissa teaches the man how to swim. Things happen, and Lon'qu goes back to being a grump. Lon'qu x Lissa one-shot. *****Takes place in the Summer Scramble DLC!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! I'm back with another fic that should've been uploaded weeks ago! It took me a while to work on this, I was being a little lazy and I had to study for my finals week so uhhh...yeah. Enjoy!**

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><p>"Urgh… Damn this heat…" Lon'qu groaned. Grasping his forehead with his left hand, he could feel himself grow dizzy with every step. The swordmaster was so accustomed to the temperatures in Ferox that the blazing heat from the sun became close to unbearable. After cleaning up the remaining Risen that roamed the beach, instead of playing volleyball with the Shepherds, Lon'qu went off to seek shelter from the Sun's harmful rays. He sluggishly walked towards a nearby palm tree. Once the tree serves its purpose of cooling him down, maybe-just maybe he will join the Shepherds in….whatever they seemed to be doing. Lon'qu sat himself down in the shade, arms propped by his knees as he sighed in contentment. Thoughts of joining the Shepherds were drifting away as Lon'qu felt the shade welcoming him in its cool embrace. He thought of never leaving this spot.<p>

Lissa on the other hand, was having a great time in the Hotrealms. The heat was nothing compared to the temperatures in Plegia. To her, the sun felt rather pleasant on her skin. Lissa chose to wear her hair down, her golden locks cascading beautifully down her back. She had to give credit to Anna; her yellow swimsuit had fit her perfectly. Whenever Lissa approached her husband, his cheeks would flush and his words would fail him. She must be doing something right if that's the case. The princess was busy sharing a few laughs and gossiping with Olivia and Sumia that she hardly even noticed that her husband was missing amongst the Shepherds. Sumia's eyes scanned through her comrades before questioning Lissa of her husband's whereabouts. "Lissa, I can't seem to find Lon'qu anywhere," Sumia asked. "Do you know where he is?"

"Huh...Now that you mentioned it, where did he run off to?" Lissa glanced over at the crowd of Shepherds. She was rather surprised when she was unable to find her man anywhere within the crowd. Olivia chose to speak up and provide little of what she knows about Lon'qu. "Wherever he is, he shouldn't have gone too far. He despises the heat, if you hadn't noticed…" Olivia wished she knew more about the man other than the fact that he's a gynophobe, Khan Basilio's champion and his intolerance towards the heat. They've only shared a few words to one another, and whenever the dancer accidentally locked eyes with him, the two would immediately look away in embarrassment, both cheeks reddening in a flash.

"That explains why he left almost immediately when the Risen were gone...Alright! I'll go look for him. He shouldn't have gone too far as you said, Olivia. I'll be back later, okay?" Lissa ventured off, beginning the search for her husband. She stared off onto the beach, blocking the Sun out from blinding her vision. The princess looked to her right, then her left, before cupping her hands around her mouth and cried out,

"LON'QU! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, SAY SOMETHING!"

No answer.

_ So he's playing this game huh? _She thought. Lissa was certain that Lon'qu had heard her but saw no reason to reply. She let out an annoyed huff, her husband can be so childish at times. _Let's see if you speak up when I call you this…_

"OH LONNIE? LONNIE, I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME SWEETHEART! PLEASE ANSWER ME, I'M WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU!"

An immediate response, just as planned.

"Do **not** call me that! I can hear you just fine, woman, there's no need to shout." Lon'qu hissed. Lissa turned to the left where she believed her husband's voice came from, and there he was, sitting underneath a palm tree. Completely unfazed by his menacing glare, Lissa giggled and skipped over to her husband. "See? I knew you were gonna answer me!" She sang, sitting herself down in front of the swordmaster. The scowl on Lon'qu's face never left him as he scolded her for calling him such a humiliating nickname.

"Not only did you address me as…. 'Lonnie', but you thought it was humorous to yell such an absurd nickname in public." Whatever Lissa thought he was, whether it be a dog or some household animal, Lon'qu made a mental note to specify that name-calling was strictly prohibited. If Vaike or Gaius were to hear, there would be no end to their teasing. If putting a sword to the throat was the only way of putting an end to their ridicule, then Lon'qu wouldn't hesitate to do so.

Lissa scoffed at his response. "Oh lighten up will ya? By the way, why aren't you having fun with the others? You could just talk to me if you don't feel like playing."

"It's hot," Lon'qu said tersely. "...And I didn't want to bother you."

"Well, sitting under a tree like a lazy bum is an unproductive way of cooling off. Come on," Lissa stood back up and stretched her arm out towards Lon'qu. "Let's take a dive in the ocean. It'll be fun, I promise! Just you and I."

The swordmaster never learned how to swim. He never thought of swimming as a necessity since he lives in Ferox. Ponds and lakes are frozen year-round and Lon'qu doesn't live near the coast, so he never had a chance to learn how. Lon'qu sheepishly looked away from his wife. In a low whisper he murmured, "...I can't swim."

Lissa didn't hear a word he said. "What was that?" She asked. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. The swordmaster grew slightly annoyed and raised his voice, this time loud enough for the petite blonde could hear. "I said I can't swim! I-I never learned how to."

Lissa blinked. _You'd think a deadly swordsman would know how to swim by now_, is what she wanted to say, but for the sake of Lon'qu's hostility, the young princess didn't say a word. "So what if you can't? I can still teach you. Now come on, up and at 'em!" Lissa chirped, waiting patiently for her husband to take her hand into his. She heard Lon'qu mumbling something before he pulled himself up, the young princess dragging the tall man towards the shallow waters of the ocean. Lissa was the first to step into the water, with Lon'qu following up right behind her.

The water was not too cold. In fact, it was quite pleasant in the warmth of the Sun. The swordmaster shuddered as the waves crashed into his legs. A sweet, soothing smile was Lissa's attempt on calming Lon'qu's nerves as they ventured deeper into the ocean. Lon'qu's anxiety spiked once he lost his footing, a small yelp escaped his lips as he frantically clung on to Lissa. Lissa held back a laugh as she reassured her husband that he wasn't going to sink. "Calm down! You're not gonna drown, I promise. Just kick your legs and move your arms a little like I'm doing. That's how you tread in the water." Lon'qu carefully watched Lissa's movement, trying to mimic her. Was there a certain way you had to move your arms? The swordmaster wasn't so sure himself as he treaded through the water with ease. "Like this?"

"There you go!" Lissa cheered. "Now let's try floating. Knowing how to float can save your life, and its the first step to learning how to swim. What i taught you now was pretty simple. The key to floating is to relax. Take a few deep breaths and let the waves carry you..." The blonde deeply exhaled and turned onto her back, the rolling waves carrying her effortlessly. Lon'qu watched his wife in awe. If she didn't show signs of breathing, one would easily mistake her for a lifeless body left at sea. As easy as it appears to be, Lon'qu knew he was going to struggle. He'd probably sink if he tried. _Someone as lightweight as Lissa would be able to do this with ease, unlike someone as dense as myself... L_on'qu was right, but if he were to sink, surely his wife will be there to help him..

"Alright," Lissa ceased her floating, wiping droplets of water that rolled down her eyes. She swam over to Lon'qu and in a honeyed voice she spoke, "Now let's see you try it. Remember to take a deep breath and keep calm and you'll be fine. I'll have my arms under you, so there's nothing to fear."

Lon'qu repeated her words in his thoughts as he deeply exhaled, The swordmaster reluctantly flipped onto his back. His face was close to being submerged in the water, and the waves weren't as comforting. Lon'qu couldn't figure out whether or not Lissa was speaking to him thanks to the water flooding his ears. All sounds were suppressed. The ocean water was swallowing him whole. Lon'qu was certain he was sinking.

In a panic, the swordmaster shot back up. Lon'qu's anxiety got the better of him, and Lissa was already fed up with the man. "Come on Lon'qu, we aren't gonna make any progress if you keep acting like a chicken!" She groaned, the swordmaster did nothing but look away in discouragement. "I-I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry about it. I should've taught you how to hold your breath underwater instead of going straight to floating. If it helps, you could pinch your nose and dive underwater, but I wouldn't recommend it. But be sure to breath out through your nose, okay?"

Lon'qu nodded. Taking a deep breath, he hesitated to immerse himself under the warm waters of the ocean. It frustrated the swordsman to no end that he couldn't do something so simple like diving underwater. Was it fear that was holding him back? Why was he being so reluctant? Out of curiosity (and to stall time), Lon'qu asked, "For how long?" His efforts were futile as his wife wasn't putting up with it. "Five seconds. Come on love, you can do it."

"I dont think I can…"

Lissa scoffed. "Really Lon'qu? Just **five **seconds underwater and you can't do that?"

_I can…..but why can't I?_ "I-It's not like I'm unable to, it's just-"

"It's nothing!" Lissa finally snapped. She was going to make him learn the hard way. If she doesn't do it, then who will? The princess placed her hands on Lon'qu's bare shoulders. Perhaps she should give him a heads-up before she forces him underwater…

"Remember; breath in, then out through your nose okay?"

Lon'qu began to panic. "W-Wait! I'm not-"

"Down you go!"

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><p><strong>Onwards to Chapter 2!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

With all of her strength Lissa forcefully shoved Lon'qu underwater. The princess was able to hold him down for 4 seconds before her grasp on the swordmaster's shoulders failed her. She mentally cursed herself for giving Lon'qu a chance to slip away. Air bubbles rose to the surface as Lon'qu quickly sprang upwards, coughing up large amounts of water from his lungs. With the back of his hand he wiped beads of water in his eyes before glaring daggers at Lissa. "Have you gone crazy?! You tried to kill me!"

"We weren't going to get anything done with your stalling, so I had to do something!"

"So your intention was to drown me?!" Lon'qu couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Lissa furrowed her brow. "What? No! I would never do such a thing to you! I told you to hold your breath-"

"I wasn't ready yet!"

"You weren't GOING to be anytime soon!" Lissa angrily groaned. The princess couldn't believe she was arguing with her husband on what she thinks is vacation for them. Thankfully they were away from the crowd, if one of the Shepherds were listening in on their pointless arguing, she would've been both embarrassed and frustrated. As much as the princess loved her husband, arguing with him is like arguing with that of a child.

Lon'qu arose from the water, walking back towards the palm tree he was previously sitting under. His swimming trunks were much lighter before he took a "dip" into the sea. Now they were soaked, dripping with water. The swordsman was certain that he was being weighed down by them, but he did not care at the moment; all Lon'qu wanted to do was get back to his spot under the tree. Lissa quickly got out of the water and followed Lon'qu by his side, looking up at him through the corner of her left eye.

"Going back under that tree aren't you?"

"Yes."

Lissa looked away from him, crossed her arms and let out a sigh of defeat. There's nothing she could do to get him out of his grumpy mood now. "You're no fun…" she muttered, puffing her cheeks.

"You had your chance," said Lon'qu. "And I am not here to entertain." He sat back down in the shade, eyes staring out into the ocean. Lissa sat beside him, resting her head on his broad shoulders. Moments passed and the silence that was shared between the two made Lissa feel uneasy. Her eyes wandered aimlessly, looking for something to talk about with her ill-tempered husband until a young couple caught her attention. It was their son, Owain, and Robin's daughter, Cynthia, playfully splashing water at each other. The princess cracked a smile at the sight; she was quite pleased that her son found someone that was special to him. "Lon'qu, look who's with Owain! He's to your right,"

Lon'qu's eyes lazily drifted to the right. The swordmaster wasn't surprised when he saw it was none other than Cynthia. The girl reminded him of Lissa, both joyful and energetic bundles of joy. She didn't have the same heroic mentality as Cynthia, which Lon'qu was thankful for. Much like Owain, Cynthia dubs her dramatic entrances and admires heroes, but she is not as theatrical as the young swordsman. She and Owain are almost impossible to separate, unless Robin decides to intervene.

Lon'qu remembers when his son told him of the Justice Cabal, a group he had formed of his childhood friends, Cynthia and Morgan. The trio shared a strong sense of justice, and they thought of themselves as more than just playmates. It was often that Lon'qu had to watch the three as they performed their heroic antics around the camp while Robin tended to his studies. Their shouting tired the swordsman to no end as Lissa thought of it as rather cute. It was only a few weeks ago that Owain came to his parents and told them of his infatuation towards the pegasus knight, and that was when Lon'qu feared for the worst.

"Aren't they cute together?" Lissa giggled. "I see Robin already has his eye on Owain. 'Probably making sure they aren't doing _more_than just playing."

"Hmph."

_ There he goes with that terse response of his. UGH! Why do I even bother sometimes?_Lissa sighed in defeat. She spoke to her husband once more. "So, you're just gonna sit here and be a grump, huh?" Lissa asked, and as if she knew what he was going to say next, the princess mouthed the words before the swordmaster talked back.

Lon'qu waited a moment before replying, "That suits me just fine." Lissa frowned at his response. All the young princess wanted was for her husband to have fun for once, but she ended up ruining it for the both of them. It was her fault, not his. Perhaps apologizing to him will coax him out of his shell.

Lissa obstructed Lon'qu's view of the ocean, making him flinch at how her face was mere inches away from his. A light flush rose to Lon'qu's cheeks as he tried to avoid Lissa's unhappy gaze. "W-What do you want?" His voice was sheepish with a slight hint of aggravated. Ever since they were engaged, the young princess took every opportunity to evade Lon'qu's personal space.

Lissa's words spilled out of her mouth in a stammer. "I'm sorry Lon'qu! You don't have to be so cold to me, y'know? I just wanted you to have fun and enjoy your time while we're here on the beach, but you were being stubborn and stuff I was trying to teach you how to swim, so I...I-I didn't mean to 'drown' you. I was getting a little impatient and all, so there! I'm sorry honey! I don't like it when you're mad, so could you cheer up for me? ...Please?"

Her plea for forgiveness caught Lon'qu's attention as he stared into Lissa's green, round eyes. Though it wasn't the best apology she could think of, Lon'qu loved her for trying. "Fine," Lon'qu sighed, his breath tickled the bridge of Lissa's nose. "As long as you've realized what you did wrong." Lissa frowned and muttered, "I know, I'm sorry. I just got a little irritated, I guess."

Lon'qu decided to speak up, he felt bad for being very upset towards his wife. There was no need for him to overreacted over such a small ordeal, nor was it necessary for the both of them to argue over something like this.

Lon'qu cleared his throat. "...Though I am to blame. I didn't mean to er, act irrational, over something so simple. It wasn't entirely your fault, Lissa. I shouldn't have been so upset to begin with. F-Forgive _me, _Lissa."

Lon'qu would've done a better job at saying sorry if his wife wasn't in his personal space. He sounded like a mess. Lissa's lips curled into a smile. She loved the bashful side of her husband, often pampering him with soft kisses on his cheek when he showed signs of embarrassment. "It's okay hun. Perhaps it was wrong for the both of us to act the way we did." She agreed, planting a sweet kiss right on the swordmaster's lips. The kiss took Lon'qu by surprise but he immediately relaxed into it. The young princess pulled away before things became too heated. She was afraid that her husband was going to pass out if she went a little further.

Lissa sat in her husband's lap, nestling into his strong arms. Lon'qu repositioned himself so the young princess would feel more at home. Resting his chin on top of her damp head, he sighed in contentment. "Well, since that's settled, why don't we just lay here and be lazy bums together?" Lissa asked. Instead of talking to her friends, the young princess chose to spend the rest of her time in the Hotrealms with her husband.

Moments passed, and Lissa found herself being lulled to sleep. The gentle rise and fall of Lon'qu's chest and his tender embrace made her eyes grow weary. She felt completely safe in his arms, and the silence they shared comforted her, unlike the troubling silence where they were both mad at each other. Lon'qu knew that in a few seconds she would be out cold, snoring to her heart's content. He lightly chuckled to himself, running a hand through damp coils of the young princess' blonde locks.

Years ago the swordmaster never thought he would be married to a woman. The joys of having a family are unfamiliar to both Lon'qu and Lissa, but they agreed to take the utmost care of Owain. He went from being a gynophobe(and still is, but not as obnoxious) to becoming a loving father. This woman had exceedingly changed him, and for the greater good.

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><p><strong>I couldn't wait to be finished with writing this story so I could start writing a MUCH SHORTER one. In all honesty, I didn't expect this fic to be THAT long, but I was determined to get this thing uploaded sooner or later. I don't know if my writing is getting better and better because I cant really tell. <strong>

**I need to know what I'm doing right or wrong, so constructive criticisms are welcomed!**


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